Spinach and Meatball Pasta Casserole
Hearty Italian comfort food with this Spinach and Meatball Pasta Casserole. Whole wheat penne pasta, marinara sauce, spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers and mozzarella all baked into a cozy casserole.
Spring is officially here. I made sure to check since it doesn’t quite feel like it’s here yet in the beautiful Bay Area. There has been some wonderful days, but the colder days have me craving comfort food. This Spinach and Meatball Pasta Casserole will fill you up and warm the soul. It was a bit difficult to name since it’s basically a pasta and meatball dish, but it’s all mixed together and baked into a gooey and crisp meal. Best when served with Chicken Flatbread Pizza.
Spinach (there’s bell peppers and mushrooms in here too) are a common year-round, but especially abundant in spring. You can use it to make spinach stuffed pork tenderloin. Yet, in this recipe, I’ve used handfuls of spinach and added to the Meatball Pasta Casserole. It’s wilts and cooks down so you can really load it in there…yay for extra flavor and vitamins! All the veggies are cooked ahead of time until just tender to reduce baking time; same goes for the penne pasta. If you can find whole-wheat noodles go with that for a healthier option.
To speed things up I used pre-cooked chicken meatballs, but you can also sub with your favorite homemade meatball recipe like this Greek Baked Meatballs. Note to self: post that mozzarella stuffed meatball recipe soon. It wouldn’t be a pasta casserole without sauce either. Marinara sauce adds rich and full of flavor, with just the right consistency.
Recipe at-a-glance:
Difficulty: Easy
Flavor profiles: Rich, savory, meaty and cheesy.
Texture: Tender and crisped pasta noodles with chunks of veggies and whole meatballs; slightly saucy too.
Other casserole recipes you might enjoy:
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Chile Chorizo Hash Brown Casserole
- Upside Down Pizza Casserole
- Mexican Bean and Rice Casserole Salad
- String Bean Casserole with Candied Bacon
Spinach and Meatball Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry whole-wheat penne noodles
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 3 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
- 48 ounces marinara sauce
- 12 pre-cooked chicken or beef meatballs
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Cook noodles according to package directions. Remove from heat and drain. Stir in 1-tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile heat remaining olive oil to medium-high heat in a large pan. Add onions, salt and pepper. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Stir in bell pepper and mushroom and cook 4-6 minutes more until slightly tender. Fold in spinach and cook just until wilted, remove from heat.
- Add marinara sauce, meatballs and 1 cup mozzarella cheese to vegetable mixture. Stir together until combined then fold in cooked penned noodles.
- Place mixture into a greased casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining mozzarella in center. Bake 20-25 minutes more until heated through and cheese is lightly browned. Remove and cool slightly before serving.
Oh my goodness, this looks AMAZING! and so simple!! Baked pasta is my absolute favorite. I’m not sure why I don’t make it more 🙂
I forget about how awesome casseroles are too! Thanks Brittany!
Great Casserole you get. Spinach is one of my favorite greens in any form. Well done, chief 🙂
It’s my favorite leafy green by far. Thanks Klauss!
Tucking this away – it looks delicious and so easy to make!!
It is! Thanks and enjoy Liv!
I love casserole!! It’s so easy and fast to make!! Perfect for weekdays!
Me too! Great for leftovers also!
Wow this looks so yummy and comforting and I love how easy it is to make!! Thanks for sharing!
It’s super easy. You’re welcome and thanks Sam!
I like your added fresh spinach into your dish. Protein and healthy.
Plus vitamins and minerals! Thanks Candy!
This looks absolutely scrumptious and I love the addition of spinach and mushrooms with the rest of the casserole ingredients – it’s so filling.
Thanks Molly! It’s an easy way to get extra veggies in and still enjoy pasta!
This looks so deliciously hearty!
Thanks Jacqueline!
What a lovely looking casserole! I know my family will love it! Pinned for later!
I pretty sure they would! Thanks Tania!
I love casseroles like this! My husband would love if I made this for dinner.
I bet he would! Thanks Emily!